Amusement device

ABSTRACT

An amusement device featuring a vehicle provided with a motor and a source of energy for running same, one or more driving wheels operatively connected to the motor for propelling the vehicle, one or more guide wheels rotatably mounted to the front of the vehicle for steering same and a control panel mounted centrally of the vehicle featuring a plurality of buttons to be selectively depressed by the child for operatively connecting the motor and the source of energy and reversing the direction of the motor to reverse the direction of the driving wheel permitting the vehicle to remain stationary, move forward and move in reverse, as desired, and also rotating the guide wheel permitting the vehicle to move in a straight path and turn in either direction, as desired.

United States Patent [191 Sano [ 1 AMUSEMENT DEVICE [75] Inventor:Hiroshi Sano, Tokyo, Japan [73] Assignee: Tomy Kogyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo,

Japan 221 Filed: July 21,1972

211 Appl.No.:274,027

[451 Jan. 22, 1974 Primary Examiner-Louis G, Mancene AssistantExaminerRobert F. Cutting Attorney, Agent, or FirmHarry John Staas etal.

[57] ABSTRACT An amusement device featuring a vehicle provided with amotor and a source of energy for running same, one or more drivingwheels operatively connected to the motor for propelling the vehicle,one or more guide wheels rotatably mounted to the front of the vehiclefor steering same and a control panel mounted centrally of the vehiclefeaturing a plurality of buttons to be selectively depressed by thechild for operatively connecting the motor and the source of energy andreversing the direction of the motor to reverse the direction of thedriving wheel permitting the vehicle to remain stationary, move forwardand move in reverse, as desired, and also rotating the guide wheelpermitting the vehicle to move in a straight path and turn in eitherdirection, as desired.

5 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJMPF TF4 SHEET 2 BF 4 FIG. 2

FIG. '"r

AMUSEMENT DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION vehicle. In the prior art,toys of this general class usu- 1 ally do not contain a central controlsystem readily available to the child for performing all of thesefunctions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The toy vehicle of the present invention isprovided with a control panel easily accessible to the child, forexample, on the top of the roof thereof, permitting the vehicle, by theselective depressing of buttons on the panel, to remain stationary, tomove forward, to move in reverse, to move in a straight line, to move tothe right and to move to the left. More particularly, the vehiclecontains a conventional miniature electrical motor operatively connectedto a battery for turning one or more driving wheels at the rear of thevehicle. The vehicle is further provided with one or more guid ingwheels at the front thereof which are suitably mounted for rotation soas to permit steering thereof. The control panel is mounted on the topof the vehicle and includes six buttons which are selectively dcpressedby the child as it is desired to change the movement of the vehicle. Theelectrical circuit is opened as one button is depressed causing thevehicle to stop. As a second button is depressed, a predeterminedcircuit is closed energizing the motor permitting the vehicle to movebackwards while depressing a third button which reverses the motor andcauses the vehicle to move forward. Depressing a fourth buttonstraightens the front guide wheels. Depressing a fifth button rotatesthe wheels to the right while depressing a sixth button rotates thewheels to the left, permitting the child to steer the vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective viewillustrating a toy vehicle and trailer assembly embodying the presentinvention, particularly the control panel mounted on the roof of thevehicle;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view in section illustrating in particularthe construction of the control panel;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the vehicle with a portion of the casingremoved so as to illustrate in particular the motor and the gear trainfor turning the driving wheel;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the vehicle with its casing and the upperportion of the control panel removed so as to illustrate in particularthe construction of the sliding plates located below the control panelbuttons for rotating the front guide wheels and alternating the circuitfor reversing the polarity of the motor which in turn regulates thedirection of travel of the vehicle driving wheel;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle and the controlpanel illustrating still further the rela tionship of the panel buttonsand the sliding plates;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the electrical conducting plate which togetherwith one of the sliding plates reverses the direction of the motor;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view partly in section illustrating the frontrow of buttons and their mating sliding plate for operating the frontguide wheels;

FIG. 8 is an elevational view partly in section illustrating the rearrow of buttons and their mating sliding plate for operating the circuitsfor determining the di- 0 rection of travel of the vehicle drivingwheel;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the control panel components;and

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of one of the front steering wheels.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The vehicle of the presentinvention is designated generally by reference numeral 10, and, asillustrated in FIG. I, may be hitched to a trailer 12. The vehicle 10includes a chassis 14 within which the operable components are mounted.As illustrated in FIG. 3, within the bottom of the chassis I4 is acompartment 16 within which the batteries 18 are located. Appropri ateelectrical contact members are mounted within the compartment 16 anddesignated by the reference numeral 20.

Rearwardly ofthe battery compartment I6 is located the main axle 22 towhich a main driving gear 24 is rigidly securedv Non-functional rearwheels 26 are also secured to the axle 22 along with a gear wheel 28,the purpose of which will be described in detail hereinafter.

A conventional electric motor 30 is suitably positioned within thechassis 14, the shaft thereof being provided with a gear wheel 32. Theframe 34 provided within the chassis [4 supports a gear train comprisingthe gear 36 to which a smaller gear 38 is secured, a gear wheel 40 towhich the smaller gear wheel 42 is secured, the gears beingappropriately journaled within the frame 34. As will be apparent, as themotor 30 is energized, the gear wheel 32 rotates meshing with the teethof the gear 36 turning same. The gear 38 is turn meshes with the teethof the gear 40 turning same. Finally, the rotating gear wheel 42 mesheswith the teeth of the gear 28 which is rigidly secured to the axle 22causing same to rotate, in turn, rotating the driving wheel 24.

Suitably mounted within the chassis 14 is a first sliding plategenerally designated by the reference numeral 44, as illustrated inFIGS. 4 and 5. The sliding plate 44 contains a slot 46 through which themounting member 48 passes, thus permitting the plate to move sideways.On each side of the sliding plate 44 and formed as an integral partthereofis an arm 50 containing an opening 52. Each of the front wheels54, as seen in FIG. I0, is provided with a first vertical rod 56 mountedwithin the opening 58 provided within the chassis l4 and a secondvertical rod 60 mounted within the opening 52 of the arm 50 of the plate44. As will be apparent, as the plate 44 slides back and forth the frontwheels 54 are turned from side to side about the rods 56.

A second plate 62 is also mounted for sliding movement with respect tothe chassis 14, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The plate 62 isprovided with an opening 63 through which mounting member 49 protrudes.Extending outwardly from plate 62 are resilient electrical contact arms64.

Also mounted on the chassis 14 is a plate 66 provided with a firstelectrical conducting section 68 and a second electrical conductingsection 70 between which is located an insulating medium 72, asillustrated in FIG. 6.

When the plate 62 is moved to one side such that one of the electricalcontact members 64 touches the electrical conductive surface 68, aconventional circuit is closed energizing the motor 30. In particular,the circuit comprises the electrical contact 74 of the battery housing16 (FIG. 4), the wire 76 which leads into the electrical contact member64, the electrical conductive strip 70 against which the contact 64rests and the wire 78 connecting the mid portion of the strip 70 withthe terminal 80 of the motor (FIG. 3). The circuit is com' pleted by theother terminal 82 of the motor 30 which is connected by the wire 84 tothe conducting strip 68, the electrical contact member 64 and the wire86 which connects the contact memher 64 to the other terminal 88 of thebattery housing.

As will be apparent, as the plate 62 slides in the oppo site direction,the circuit is reversed and the polarity of the motor 30 reversedcausing the shaft of the motor 30 to rotate in the opposite direction.Also, it will be apparent that when the electrical contact members 64engage the insulating member 72 in the position illustrated in FIGS. 4and 5, the circuit is opened at which time the motor 30 is not energizedand the vehicle is stationary.

The sliding plates 44 and 62 are designed to assume three distinctpositions. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the plates 44 and 62 areprovided with three separate generally V-shaped indentations 90 intowhich the corresponding prongs 92 of the resilient member 94 fit.

The plates 44 and 62 are further provided with rectangular openings 94and on each side thereof cut-out portions 96, the purpose of which willbe described in detail hereinafter A bracket 98 provided with sixdepending slots I00, as illustrated in FIGS. 2, S and 9, is suitablymounted to the chassis l4. Fitted within the bracket 98 is a cushion I02of sponge material having six corresponding openings I04 through whichthe six corresponding buttons 106 and I06 pass. As will be apparent, thesponge-like member 102 functions to normally bias the buttons I06 andI06 upwardly. The buttons 106 terminate downwardly in prongs designed tocooperate with the openings 94 and 96 in the sliding plates 44 and 62.

As will now be apparent, control of the turning movements of the vehicleI0 is governed by the front row of buttons I06 in the following manner.As the center button I06B is depressed, its lower prong being generallyV-shaped, as illustrated in FIG. 7, forces the plate 44 to assume itsmiddle position, as illustrated in FIG. 4. In this position, the frontwheels 54 are positioned straightforward. As the left-hand button 106Ais depressed, its lower prong, also illustrated in FIG. 7, forces theplate 44 to move to the right causing the front wheels 54 to rotate tothe left or counterclockwise about the rods 56. The reverse actionoccurs as the button I06C is depressed turning the wheels clockwise,

In similar manner, the rear row of buttons I06 oper ate to start themotor so as to propel the vehicle I0 and also to determine the directionof travel of same. In particular, as the central button I06E isdepressed, its V-shaped configuration, illustrated in FIG. 8, causes thesecond plate 62 to be aligned in the position illustrated in FIG. 4wherein the circuit is inoperative. Thus, the vehicle 10 is stationary.When it is desired that the vehicle 10 move forward, the button 106D isdepressed, as illustrated in FIG. 8, this action causing the plate 62 tomove to the right at which time the motor 30 is energized causing, aspreviously described. the drive wheel 24 to propel the vehicle 10 inforward direction. In similar manner, as the other button 106F isdepressed, the plate 62 is moved in the opposite direction activatingthe previously described circuit resulting in reversing the direction ofrotation of the driv ing wheel 24 causing the vehicle I0 to move inreverse.

As will be apparent, the present invention may com prise a unitaryvehicle, or, as illustrated in FIG. I, may be used to tow a trailer 12or other piece of equipment.

I claim:

I. A toy vehicle, comprising:

a motor and a source of energy for running sameprovided within saidvehicle;

driving wheel means operatively connected to said motor and mounted tosaid vehicle for propelling same along a surface;

guide wheel means operatively mounted to said vehicle for rotation tosteer same along a surface, said guide wheel means including at leasttwo rods, one of said rods being mounted to said vehicle; and

a control panel mounted on said vehicle, said panel including means foroperatively connecting said motor and said source of energy and forreversing the direction of said motor to reverse the direction of saiddriving wheel means, as desired, said control panel further includingmeans for rotating said guide wheel means to change the direction ofmovement of said vehicle, as desired, comprising a plate slidablymounted on said vehicle, the other of said rods of said guide wheelmeans being mounted to said plate, a plurality of buttons mounted formovement with respect to said control panel, said plate further beingprovided with a plurality of openings complementary with respect to theends of said buttons such that as the ends of certain of said buttonsare depressed within said openings said plate slides so as to rotatesaid guide wheel means about said rod mounted to said vehicle.

2. A vehicle as in claim I, wherein said means operatively connectingsaid motor and said source of energy and for reversing the direction ofsaid motor comprises a second plate slidably mounted in said vehicle, anelectrical circuit connecting said motor and source of energy, meansassociated with said second plate for reversing said circuit as saidsecond plate is moved, a second plurality of buttons mounted formovement within said control panel, said second plate further beingprovided with a plurality of openings complementary with respect to theends of said second plurality of buttons such that as certain of theends of said second plurality of buttons are depressed said second plateslides reversing said circuit.

3. A toy vehicle as in claim 1, wherein there are three said buttons andthree said openings, said buttons and openings being aligned with eachother, such that as the end of the middle of said buttons is depressedwithin the middle of said openings said guide wheel means is alignedwith said vehicle, the ends of said remaining buttons being providedwith sloping surfaces while their corresponding openings are offsettherefrom such that as said remaining buttons are depressed said slopingsurfaces thereof engage the edges of said plate defining said openingscausing said plate to slide.

4. A toy vehicle as in claim 2, wherein there are three of said secondplurality of buttons and three of said openings within said secondplate,said buttons and openings being aligned with each other, such thatas the end of the middle of said buttons is depressed within the middleof said openings said electrical circuit connecting said motor andsource of energy is broken such that said motor is inoperative, the endsof said remaining buttons being provided with sloping surfaces whiletheir corresponding openings within said second plate are off settherefrom such that as said remaining buttons are depressed said slopingsurfaces thereof engage the edges of said plate defining said openingscausing said plate to slide.

5. A toy vehicle, comprising:

a motor and a source of energy for running same provided within saidvehicle;

driving wheel means operatively connected to said motor and mounted tosaid vehicle for propelling same along a surface;

guide wheel means operatively mounted to said vehicle for rotation tosteer same along a surface; and control panel mounted on said vehicle,said panel including means for operatively connecting said motor andsaid source of energy and reversing the direction of said motor toreverse the direction of said driving wheel means, as desired,comprising a plate slidably mounted in said vehicle, an electricalcircuit connecting said motor and said source of energy, meansassociated with said plate for reversing said circuit as said plate ismoved, a plurality of butons mounted for movement within said controlpanel, said plate further being provided with a plurality of openingscomplementary with respect to the ends of said buttons such that as theends of certain of said buttons are depressed within said openings saidplate slides reversing said circuit, said control panel furtherincluding means for rotating said guide wheel means to change thedirection of movement of said vehicle, as desired.

1. A toy vehicle, comprising: a motor and a source of energy for runningsame provided within said vehicle; driving wheel means operativelyconnected to said motor and mounted to said vehicle for propelling samealong a surface; guide wheel means operatively mounted to said vehiclefor rotation to steer same along a surface, said guide wheel meansincluding at least two rods, one of said rods being mounted to saidvehicle; and a control panel mounted on said vehicle, said panelincluding means for operatively connecting said motor and said source ofenergy and for reversing the direction of said motor to reverse thedirection of said driving wheel means, as desired, said control panelfurther including means for rotating said guide wheel means to changethe direction of movement of said vehicle, as desired, comprising aplate slidably mounted on said vehicle, the other of said rods of saidguide wheel means being mounted to said plate, a plurality of buttonsmounted for movement with respect to said control panel, said platefurther being provided with a plurality of openings complementary withrespect to the ends of said buttons such that as the ends of certain ofsaid buttons are depressed within said openings said plate slides so asto rotate said guide wheel means about said rod mounted to said vehicle.2. A vehicle as in claim 1, wherein said means operatively connectingsaid motor and said source of energy and for reversing the direction ofsaid motor comprises a second plate slidably mounted in said vehicle, anelectrical circuit connecting said motor and source of energy, meansassociated with said second plate for reversing said circuit as saidsecond plate is moved, a second plurality of buttons mounted formovement within said control panel, said second plate further beingprovided with a plurality of openings complementary with respect to theends of said second plurality of buttons such that as certain of theends of said second plurality of buttons are depressed said second plateslides reversing said circuit.
 3. A toy vehicle as in claim 1, whereinthere are three said buttons and three said openings, said buttons andopenings being aligned with each other, such that as the end of themiddle of said buttons is depressed within the middle of said openingssaid guide wheel means is aligned with said vehicle, the ends of saidremaining buttons being provided with sloping surfaces while theircorresponding openings are off set therefrom such that as said remainingbuttons are depressed said sloping surfaces thereof engage the edges ofsaid plate defining said openings causing said plate to slide.
 4. A toyvehicle as in claim 2, wherein there are three of said second pluralityof buttons and three of said openings within said second plate,saidbuttons and openings being aligned with each other, such that as the endof the middle of said buttons is depressed within the middle of saidopenings said electrical circuit connecting said motor and source ofenergy is broken such that said motor is inoperative, the ends of saidremaining buttons being provided with sloping surfaces while theircorresponding openings within said second plate are off set therefromsuch that as said remaining buttons are depressed said sloping surfacesthereof engage the edges of said plate defining said openings causingsaid plate to slide.
 5. A toy vehicle, comprising: a motor and a sourceof energy for running same provided within said vehicle; driving wheelmeans operatively connected to said motor and mounted to said vehiclefor propelling same along a surface; guide wheel means operativelymounted to said vehicle for rotation to steer same along a surface; anda control panel mounted on said vehicle, said panel including means foroperatively connecting said motor and said source of energy andreversing the direction of said motor to reverse the direction of saiddriving wheel means, as desIred, comprising a plate slidably mounted insaid vehicle, an electrical circuit connecting said motor and saidsource of energy, means associated with said plate for reversing saidcircuit as said plate is moved, a plurality of butons mounted formovement within said control panel, said plate further being providedwith a plurality of openings complementary with respect to the ends ofsaid buttons such that as the ends of certain of said buttons aredepressed within said openings said plate slides reversing said circuit,said control panel further including means for rotating said guide wheelmeans to change the direction of movement of said vehicle, as desired.